[fusioncal]

wow that is a major bummer...

Major bummer indeed.

I just doesn't make sense to me though. How cam RIM be releasing a major FLAGSHIP device in mid-2011 with a fixed focus camera?!? And the reason? To keep it thin?!?

iPhone 4: 9.3mm thick
Galaxy S: 9.9mm thick
Galaxy S 2: 8.49mm thick
All 3 with auto-focus sensors.

So how could RIM possibly not fit an auto-focus sensor into a device that is 10.5mm thick?

Calm down, Charlie Brown!

I was expecting a response like this from someone. And believe me; I understand where you're coming from. Having a phone that functions primarily as a phone, and does it well. However; different people have different needs for their phones and certain features may be more important than others, as pointed out by brucep1. Maybe YOU don't need a phone with a good camera, but someone else might.

The point I was trying to make however, and the reason for my disbelief & confusion comes down to the current state of RIM and the importance of the decisions they make. A lot of people in the tech world are talking about how "RIM is in trouble", "no one wants BlackBerries anymore."

So in a world where it's all about iOS, Android, HTC, Motorola and the likes, how can RIM possibly justify sacrificing such a BASIC feature for such a lame reason? I could understand if the Bold 9900 was THE slimmest smartphone on the market, but it isn't. So when a dumbphone from 2009 has an auto-focus camera, and a flagship smartphone from a struggling company in 2011 doesn't, yeah that's kind of hard to swallow whether I need an AF camera or not.

+1

Geez.... what's the problem here? You use a phone to primarily take pictures or make/receive telephone calls??? If you're into photography, there are great pocket-sized digital cameras on the market these days that have DSLR features (aperture settings, exposure control, etc). A phone isn't meant to replace those.

How come people that buy digital cameras don't complain that the camera's phone signal is weak, or that they can't play games or use flash??

I, for one, much prefer having a phone with strong signal, good battery life and above average call quality than worrying about autofocus on a phone with a camera.

Good grief.

With all due respect, if it's only telephone calls you're looking for then why are you here and why do you own a smartphone such as BlackBerry? Isn't a good old Nokia cell phone would just do for you?

Here's a thing. Cell phones and/or smartphones are evolving over the years. Manufacturers try to add more and more "unrelated" features and functions to make them more useful. I know it's not a necessity for a cell phone to have a camera, chatting features, internet connection or whatever, but it's always good to have them. Over the years those features became standards to have on every cell phones out there. It's totally understandable consumers expect more not less. What used to be there, they expect it'll be there in the next model. So yeah, it's a bummer not to have auto focus feature.

I always believe advances in technology is meant to make people's life easier.

[Masahiro]

Read the title of the forum!

This is all about another RIM shortcoming with a new product. Its one after another. when was the last time RIM released something that was awesome and well executed... NOT NEVER!

Not never, huh? So I'm assuming you've already tried a 9900 for a reasonable amount of time, seeing as how you're familiar with its shortcomings. Oh wait. You have no intention of owning the phone in the first place.

By the way, your idiotic crap rationalizing blackberry's inability to compete isn't original either... too many people chose to accept mediocre from blackberry at a premium price. its the same old story on crackberry, and its contributions from people like you that are a complete waste. i'm not trying to be original, just spillin some much needed common sense.

I never claimed to be original, hence why I don't use pompous sayings like, "mark my words". What are you, some sort of tech guru? Where can I buy your book? What you're "spillin" is common, but can your reasoning behind the downfall of a multi-billion dollar company due to the lack of auto-focus on one of their models really be considered "sense"? You don't really have any other arguments other than blanket statements like "they're not competitive enough", or "the management is incompetent."

the only irony i see is people like you. at least give me something useful that directly contradicts the material of what i'm saying... specifically if the 9900 warrants its price tag and if RIM has the ability to compete in the future smartphone landscape that is becomign increasingly competitive. not this crap about the irony of me participating in this forum... F U!

I (along with Crucial) gave you a link that explains the details of the whole EDOF VS auto-focus debate. Here it is again, in case you missed it: EDoF versus Auto-focus: Understanding the compromises involved That's called "contributing". I don't know if that warrants the price tag of the 9900, nor do I really care. Prices change considerably, especially soon after a product launches. Nor do I really care if RIM has the ability to compete in the future smartphone landscape. Not only does that not have any affect on my decision of buying this phone (if I feel there is a better smartphone out there for my needs, I'd buy that instead), but it's rather off-topic. The News and Rumours forums are that way. ----->

You'll find many like-minded people there. By the way, I've never seen anyone destroy their own credibility as fast as you have! All it took you was two letters at the end of your rant! Impressive.

[aNYthing24]

It may be the reason this device has NFC and the other ones don't. With NFC, it can scan stuff (not bar codes) so it alleviates the need for auto focus a bit. Still sucks, though.

[mssca]

I know all of you are fighting over what a smart phone should be. The bottom line is that modern day smart phones should NOT be just limited to phone calls.

I wish RIM sell their company to Google or Microsoft because at the end of the day, people like us who love BB keyboards will NOT be enough to save the CEOs of BB.

MOST people with brains will agree the user who said, if you just want to make phone calls, why don't you use an old Nokia flip phone?????

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[anon(3158896)]

Not never, huh? So I'm assuming you've already tried a 9900 for a reasonable amount of time, seeing as how you're familiar with its shortcomings. Oh wait. You have no intention of owning the phone in the first place.



I never claimed to be original, hence why I don't use pompous sayings like, "mark my words". What are you, some sort of tech guru? Where can I buy your book? What you're "spillin" is common, but can your reasoning behind the downfall of a multi-billion dollar company due to the lack of auto-focus on one of their models really be considered "sense"? You don't really have any other arguments other than blanket statements like "they're not competitive enough", or "the management is incompetent."



I (along with Crucial) gave you a link that explains the details of the whole EDOF VS auto-focus debate. Here it is again, in case you missed it: EDoF versus Auto-focus: Understanding the compromises involved That's called "contributing". I don't know if that warrants the price tag of the 9900, nor do I really care. Prices change considerably, especially soon after a product launches. Nor do I really care if RIM has the ability to compete in the future smartphone landscape. Not only does that not have any affect on my decision of buying this phone (if I feel there is a better smartphone out there for my needs, I'd buy that instead), but it's rather off-topic. The News and Rumours forums are that way. ----->

You'll find many like-minded people there.

alright i think i've made my point clear. your response sucked.. no offense but it failed to bring anything with substance to the table. from what i understand, you're rationale is like that of iphone people who buy it just cause they saw it on TV and everyone else has it, but what makes yours worse is cause you don't see blackberry on TV, and less people have it, and overall its an inferior product. Despite whatever shortcomings this new 9900 has you're gona buy it no matter what at any price.. wow you seem to be a very educated consumer. too bad there isn't more people who think like you cause then blackberry wouldn't be in this mess right now.

maybe im wrong. maybe you're buyin it cause its the best device for your needs and youve done all of the due dilligence and researched the device. Just dont give me bread and call it a sandwhich... i know very well the difference between the fixed focus and the auto focus camera. with the fixed focus shot it will give you great pictures if what you're capturing is further than 20 inches or so. all im saying is that a lot of the business functions of a smart phone require detailed close ups... not possible with this camera. i know, i've tried a phone with full focus/fixed focus.

By the way, i haven't tried a 9900 yet but you dont have to, to know that its release is anything but first class. Just look at its overall presentation and delivery to market. Blackberry lacks overall refinement. we've waited how long for a device to come to market only to bring mediocre product at a premium price? Granted this is just based on whats on paper, but we all know how this device is going to be more or less... OS7 is barely an upgrade. this is business 101 stuff... supply and demand. demand just wont be there to attract users of other smartphones with this. at least i dont think so... this is just my opinion.

all im saying is that i'm dissapointed with RIM's products. I hope they read this. Are there other people who feel the same way? i know there are those who will rationalize and excuse RIM all day cause theyre just in love with it. i'm not one of them.

time will tell.. but i'd put my money on another RIM fail. history tends to repeat itself.

[pythons]

It's been demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that RIM is now a cuckold husband to corpoarate business...
...And that this status is due to what several people have been harping on.
...RIM now sits in a chair by the bed and watches as Android & Apple do things to it's wife.
...That RIM couldn't or wouldn't do.

One thing that's disgusting for certain is the apologetic offered by some when it's pointed out RIM should have done something it didn't. i.e. "if you want to take pictures go buy a camera" - what the consumer interprets that apologetic as, is simply; GO BUY A DROID OR APPLE. And that exactly what they did.

Consumer: I want to do video conferencing on my phone.

RIM Apologist: Go buy a notebook or Desktop computer.


Droid / Apple: Yeah, sure, we can do that.

Consumer interpretation: I guess I'll buy a Droid or iphone.

Want to open a .pdf that's 4.5 mb or larger? Want to be able to interact with your corporate websites on your phone? Want the browser to move faster than a snail?

Guess who has been giving the consumer what it's been asking for?



I've been on a blackberry for years and love the device, however, that does not mean I will refrain from attacking RIM's twisted cuckolding. Can anyone imagine how humiliating it must be for RIM to watch the woman it has been married to get plowed inside out by a tag team of Apple and Droid - all RIM has been able to do is sit there by the bed with it's head in it's hands and offer refreshments as those two high tech thugs pleasure it's once faithful wife OVER AND OVER again.

This disgusting lifestyle must STOP and the way for RIM to do it is to pull out all the stops - it's already got the best email service of ANY phone, the best keyboard of any phone and would say the best battery. Imagine the head start RIM has had for "business" - it still has those things and still has the ability to take back a great portion of it's lost customers.

If I was on the board of RIM I would demand that EVERY R&D guy working for the company pack an iphone and Droid around and make damn sure that ANYTHING those two devices could do that was business related the RIM device could do as good if not better!

It's almost as if RIM pretended those devices didn't exist and didn't even react to them until it heard the moans of pleasure coming from the business community ( it's wife ) and by that time there was no room in the bed left for RIM.

I'm sorry if this may come off as crude but it's simply the truth - RIM can come back and those of us who get these new BB can pick our fights by showing others how easy and fast we can get things done with them.

We NEED however 1st some things we can do on them.


Perhaps the new Bold camera will be just fine and we are stressing out about nothing. The pictures I've been able to find online taken by the 9900 look like dung compared to what I'm shooting with my 9650 as well as my 1st gen Storm so yeah, I'm worried.

[Qbunto]

It's a bit dissapointing but honestly if this is the reason for the awesome form factor then so be it. I understand that auto-focus camera's are the standard but why should they be? Surely you would sooner have a better form factor?

This is just my opinion since I use phone cameras rarely to snap the occasional thing. I understand others may be quite pissed off!

[dphorgan2]

Was waiting for the 9930 but took to long and got the EVO 3D. Another reason I'm glad I did not wait. My phone can take 3D pictures, the 9900/30 can't even focus on an object...

[cold war kid]

Was waiting for the 9930 but took to long and got the EVO 3D. Another reason I'm glad I did not wait. My phone can take 3D pictures, the 9900/30 can't even focus on an object...

yeah.... but unlike your EVO the battery on the 9900/9930 will last longer than 4 hours.

[pythons]

yeah.... but unlike your EVO the battery on the 9900/9930 will last longer than 4 hours.

LOL, now that's almost true - I doubt 3D Evo would make it to 4 hours....
...No doubt for that short time you could do about anything you wanted / needed to though.

[dphorgan2]

I get two days worth. The battey life is the only come back BlackBerry owners have.

[cold war kid]

I get two days worth.

With a 4.3inch display, HTC Sense & Android, 3 cameras, WiMax & CDMA radios?

I don't think so.

Not unless you're not actually USING your phone and it's just sitting on a stack of papers.

[dphorgan2]

+ I can't find if it'll be LTE or WiMax. None 4G phone in late 2011, not good. I started out with the original Pearl on Sprint then to the 8320 to the 8900 then to the 9700.

[waccotobacco]

With a 4.3inch display, HTC Sense & Android, 3 cameras, WiMax & CDMA radios?

I don't think so.

Not unless you're not actually USING your phone and it's just sitting on a stack of papers.

And the 9900/30; with its OS that requires a reboot to install apps, smaller 2.8 inch screen, non auto-focusing camera, lasts only a day according to pre-release devices; granted the builds aren't finalized yet. Funny thing is, the evo3d is $500 off contract.

[shadysprings]

Come on people, if anyone thinks any cell phone out there takes good pictures, then you don't know what a good picture looks like.
Anyone with any knowledge of photography spends the most money on their lenses. A lot more. The 9900 is a great smartphone. It's not a camera.
By the way, this is what a good lens looks like.

[belfastdispatcher]

Personally I would trade a little static photo quality for better motion photo quality. Autofocus can be very frustrating at times as you need to think 2 seconds ahead when you want to photograph your kids playing for example.

Anyway, most people make the mistake of just leaving the camera set on Auto and never use the scene modes.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[badger906]

glad to see theres such love for rim out there...

now this is from personal experience only, but I find I only get good crisp clear pictures from Af about 50% of the time, the rest are blurred/out of focus maybe due to my less than steady hand!

If I can't take close up shots ill miss it at first but ill learn to live without it.

dispite all the slating that being going on here, im prity sure rim knows what its doing, and the all focus camera was chosen for a reason...

my pb takes great pics in the right light, add a flash and it would be great.. 9900 is still the phone for me

[howarmat]

yeah.... but unlike your EVO the battery on the 9900/9930 will last longer than 4 hours.

my wife gets 1.5 days with hers consistantly. Its one of HTC best phones to date i would say

[belfastdispatcher]

my wife gets 1.5 days with hers consistantly. Its one of HTC best phones to date i would say

And my wife gets as much as 5 days out of her Pearl 3G, I don't think most women use phones as much as we do.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[slicx]

i have an iPhone as well as a BB 9330 which now has been replaced by the 9900..... RIM never had a phone with an excellent camera.... BB was all about ease of use!

[ratchetjaw#AC]

i have an iPhone as well as a BB 9330 which now has been replaced by the 9900..... RIM never had a phone with an excellent camera.... BB was all about ease of use!

Thats debatable cause i have had every iphone made and with the exception of the 4. The BB Style, Bold 9650,9700, and 9780 have had better cameras. Point being same could be said about the iphone up till the 4

[qbnkelt]

I've posted pictures in other threads here of my sensation going beyond 24 hours

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I remember 23 hours and 45 minutes or so. Did you get longer?

http://forums.crackberry.com/native-...7/index16.html

[Just Me]

If it uses the same camera as the playbook what's your take on the playbills camera?

See for yourself. This was taken in Jasper national park out of the window of my car. Focus has never been an issue for me with the PlayBook camera. It is not an SLR and you wont be blowing the pictures up but you wont be doing that with the iPhone either.

EDIT: The pic I uploaded from my PB was too large and I couldn't resize in this editor so I just left a thumbnail.

[lax42]

For everyone saying get a camera, its ******** to pay this much money for a phone and it not be able to take good pictures. People have phones because they want a device that can do it all. Its like RIM is fighting with the iphone 4 and it doesn't realize that the iphone 5 is coming out soon, and is going to (as said above) TAG team the sh it out of RIMS wife with android... Glad rim made it to the end of 2009 or early 2010

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kbz1960]

What they should be saying is if you want professional pictures you need a real camera, not a phone camera.